History
The name Tampines comes from "tampinis", the Malay name for a now near-extinct tree which provided strong and durable ironwood timber. The district used to comprise fishing villages, which were later converted into fish farms rearing freshwater fish. These fish farms were only recently relocated to Pasir Ris, and were previously along Old Tampines Road. This road has a story of its own, as it originated from a small path that was built in 1864. Old Tampines Road was also the site for many Chinese temples, many of which are still standing today. The Tampines Regional Centre is the first and most developed regional centre in the island, with a wide range of shops, offices and entertainment facilities.

Residential
Tampines is a neighbourhood estate comprising mainly, but not only, HDB flats. This estate is large, and there are also many condominiums scattered around the estate, especially in the Tampines North region. Tampines' residential hub is located in Tampines Central. Here, you can find

• Two large shopping centres, Tampines Mall and Century Square. Both centres have cinemas, provided for by Golden Village and Shaw Theatres Pte. Ltd. respectively.
• Tampines Library, which is a short walk from these cinemas.
• Tampines stadium, the home Tampines Rovers Football Club. Next to the stadium is a swimming pool and a gym.
• Tampines Interchange and MRT.
• CPF Tampines Building and DBS, HSBC and UOB banks.

Located near Tampines Central is a branch of Safra, the Singapore Armed Forces' recreational club. There are many primary and secondary schools and institutes of higher education in Tampines, such as Temasek Polytechnic and Tampines Junior College.

If you prefer to do your shopping in a less crowded, less glamorous space, there are many enclaves in Tampines that allow you to do so. All over the estate are rows of neighbourhood shops, car parks and coffee shops where you can find almost anything. Moreover, close to Tampines is Bedok Reservoir, which has a spectacular view and is ideal for a long walk or run. The reservoir is sometimes the venue for water-sporting events such as the HSBC World Wakeboard World Cup.